Celebrate the joy and promise of Easter

For Christians around the world, today is a day of rejoicing and renewal. Easter Sunday is the observance of one of the pivotal tenets of Christianity: The Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Many of the faithful attend sunrise services that symbolize and celebrate the dawning of a new sense of hope after the long and somber season of Lent. And even in these troubled and trying times, we believe there is much to celebrate.

For the 1.2 billion Catholics of the world, this Easter is especially meaningful. The theme of joy and new beginnings is emphasized by the recent election of Pope Francis.

The former Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina upholds many of the traditional values of the church, but at the same time the Jesuit has a humility and down-to-Earth approach that many find especially promising.

Since the beginning of what the Rev. Keith DeRouen, pastor of Our Lady Queen of Angels Catholic Church in Opelousas, calls the pope's "petrine ministry," he sees evidence of renewed hope, peace and joy.

"Those are the promised gifts of the new life that is ours in Christ Jesus, the Risen Lord," DeRouen said.

And those are the gifts of the Easter season for all the faithful.

Some Christians attend church services only once a year - on Easter Sunday.

That, too is a gift, as the Rev. Dick Humphries sees it. Humphries, the pastor of Asbury United Methodist Church in Lafayette, calls that annual church attendance a "hopeful opportunity for people."

While some of the clergy chastise members of their congregation who show up only once a year, Humphries believes in making people feel better by the time they leave a church service than when they arrived.

And that seems to be in keeping with the renewal of faith that characterizes this most significant of Christian holidays.

For many adults, Easter Sunday evokes fond childhood memories of brightly colored baskets filled with chocolate bunnies and marshmallow chicks. Of Easter egg hunts and "paqueing" contests to see who had the strongest eggs. Of dressing up in brand-new pastel-colored frocks or dress shirts and maybe even a tie for a special church service, followed by a special meal with the family.

And even if they didn't fully understand it, they sensed that the overall mood of the day was one of hope and joy.

There is much in today's world that can inspire discouragement, from the economy to an ongoing war to personal challenges.

It is good to have a holiday that reminds us that there is still hope in the world.

But that sense of hope should not be confined to one day out of 365.

Gather with your family or your friends today and celebrate Easter according to your faith or your traditions.

But let us suggest that everyone make a special effort to let that sense of hope and promise continue into the weeks and months to come and to sustain it until next Easter Sunday.

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Celebrate the joy and promise of Easter

For Christians around the world, today is a day of rejoicing and renewal. Easter Sunday is the observance of one of the pivotal tenets of Christianity: The Resurrection of Jesus Christ.Many of the